


A one time thing?

by O_kay



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Smut, Three Year Gap (Dragon Ball)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-19
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:28:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22321096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/O_kay/pseuds/O_kay
Summary: Three year gap get together dealio. Vegeta and Bulma are lost in thought following an unexpected night of passion; Bulma wanting more, and Vegeta trying to figure out if his behaviour is fitting of a Saiyan Prince.
Relationships: Bulma Briefs & Vegeta, Bulma Briefs/Vegeta
Comments: 31
Kudos: 123





	1. The following morning.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi again all. First of all thank you for the positivity towards my first little fic that I posted a few days ago. I think the community here is really lovely :)
> 
> I just want to say that anything I post on here is purely going to be self indulgent work revolving around my own little daydreams and kinks. There won’t be much that’s amazingly ‘out there’ and adventurous. So, in that vein I am now chipping away at my favourite subject - the three year gap. I apologise this has been done a lot before, but it’s why I started loving these two as a couple, so please excuse me if this is a bit tired.
> 
> I’m going to publish this in chapters because I haven’t yet decided if this is going to descend in to pure filth or whether it will just be a bit smutty so I’ve also tried to tag for all eventualities.
> 
> xXx

Sunlight had started to crack through the blinds when Vegeta’s eyes snapped open in confusion and annoyance. Ever since moving into this stupid compound (everything looked the damn same) on this stupid planet (Earth, who names a planet after what it’s composed of?) he had issues adjusting and sleeping. Constantly waking up in a panic without the quiet thrum of an engine. Today was no exception except once his eyes were open, the confusion didn’t dissipate. Just where in the hell was he? The walls were a soft pastel lilac, there was a smell of...perfume? And there was a long slender limb draped over his legs. What. The. Hell.

That’s when it all came flooding back. Cheeks flushing bright red, he quickly and fluidly untangled himself, slid out of the bed, and was gone before she could even speak his name.

~

Bulma just about caught the shadow flying out the doorway as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Ouch! Why did her limbs hurt so much? Ah yes, of course, perhaps things had gotten a little...intimate last night. It all seemed to come out of nowhere but then again, as she slowly roused herself and padded towards the shower, she began to think back over the last few months. 

Vegeta had terrified her when he first arrived on Namek. She was well aware of what he had done to her friends, and just what he was capable of. Yet when they had found themselves back on Earth he seemed different. Still angry, still aggressive, still unbelievably powerful, but somehow a little bruised, less alien. He rarely flashed that arrogant smile, and somehow seemed more determined. 

Everyone had thought she was crazy for letting him stay at Capsule Corp, but she had never been one to do anything on anyone else’s terms. She wouldn’t lower herself to his level, and wouldn’t see him homeless. Besides, how many of their friends had once been ‘evil’ or at least assholes? She felt there was something in him, something Goku had clearly seen, and something that would hopefully show itself when given time.

~

He pushed the gravity room as high as it could go (not high enough!), his usual response to anything that stressed him out. Or angered him. Or challenged him. He pushed himself until his muscles screamed and his knees shook.   
His mind wouldn’t shut the hell up though. What had he become exactly? Would a true Saiyan Prince fall at the disgusting lizard hands of Frieza? Would a Saiyan Prince come second to a low class snivelling clown like Kakarot? Would a Saiyan Prince settle on a second rate mud ball like this? WOULD A SAIYAN PRINCE DO......  
He hit the floor like a sack of wet cement. Panting hard, he slammed his fists into the floor of the GR, denting the reinforced panels. He needed to clear his head, that kind of thinking only hampered him (and got him hit with his own reflected energy blast). 

Standing under the hot shower, his mind was still fighting him. A flash of blue. Hit to the shoulder. A flash of black lace. Hit to the chest. A flash of pink. Hit to the gut.   
“DAMN IT” he punched the tile, only to crack it and shower himself with dust. What had possessed him? He thought back over his time here, with her. A stray glance here and there. Revelations of a brilliant mind buried beneath curls. Confidence in the face of him where others cowered. Unending assistance in trying to help him achieve the legendary.   
His whole life had been spent causing others to tremble in fear without experiencing anything ...like that. His face flushed red for the tenth time that day.

~

She didn’t expect to see him for a day or maybe two, not after what happened. She didn’t regret a moment, in fact, she was starting to think that she needed more. He was hot-headed sure, and didn’t seem to have any kind of sense of humour (except when terrorising or mocking people), and was it possible for his hairline to get any higher?   
But he was also so clever (underneath it all), full of unshakable pride, and had that tight little backside! She laughed out loud at her own thoughts. Honestly, she had to admit she had cast glances for a while now. So much had changed in the last couple of years, including her desires and needs.

Still, last night hadn’t been something she planned. Perhaps he needed a night to his own thoughts and then they could talk about it.


	2. The night in question.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So how do you seduce the Prince of all Saiyans? Well food isn’t a bad place to start.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright so this chapter is a little longer than the last :p but I felt like it wouldn’t read well if split up. It’s the sections after this I’m still working over, so I’ll see if I can update those soon :)

“I’m sorry Vegeta but it’s going to be out of action for a few more days if you want higher gravity settings. We need to develop some new materials to support the extra strain or we’re going to have another explosion.”  
“Listen woman, if...”  
“BULMA. It’s Bulma” she stuck a finger into his solid chest. He carried on as if he couldn’t even feel it.  
“Listen Bul-ma, if you think I’m going to tolerate the gravity room being out of action for days on end when I need to achieve the legendary you are sadly mistaken. The current level is not going to push me enough. Have you forgotten that I can destroy this pathetic planet any time I feel like it?”  
She practically growled at him, her face growing red with anger “We both know you won’t destroy anything, and how exactly would you continue using my precious GR if you blew it up along with the planet?? You need to learn that huffing and puffing at me won’t get you your own way, your majesty.”  
Her tone clearly infuriated him, and for a moment she thought he was having an aneurysm. He turned on his heel and marched out of the room.

Standing alone in her lab for a moment, she couldn’t quite decide if she was angry at the Prince or felt slightly sorry for him. She supposed he didn’t have much else to do with his time. He didn’t seem to have any hobbies and certainly hadn’t shown any interest in any Earth activities. She tapped her chin thoughtfully and then left the room decisively.

~

Vegeta had initially felt a dark rage descending on him following his row with the woman, however by the time he reached the garden a sudden apathy descended on him, and he stopped in his tracks. He had been planning on flying to the nearest wasteland and blasting holes everywhere, but now he found himself standing on the vast lawn feeling uncertain. A tiny dinosaur scampered past him, and he felt droplets of rain start to softly fall.

Shoulders ever so slightly slumped he headed back into the compound and started to raid the huge fridge. Halfway through a gargantuan chicken sandwich, a more appealing aroma caught his attention. He slid quietly off the barstool and stalked towards the delicious smell. There she stood, in the middle of a modestly sized lounge area, with a huge tv on, a bucket of something tucked under one arm, and something rectangular in the other.

~

Bulma had no idea what sort of response to expect, but she decided that each new day would be an opportunity to introduce him to something different, and where better to start than with a good old rainy day movie marathon?  
She heated up a Saiyan sized bucket of popcorn, grabbed a decent selection of films from her collection, and threw a huge teddy fleece throw onto the sofa. Before she could even ponder how to persuade him to join her he had appeared quietly in the doorway, his expression oddly soft.

”Hey Vegeta, look I know it must be frustrating being here and not having access to all the equipment you need. But sometimes a break from training is a good way to reset your mind and help you approach a challenge differently, ya know?”  
He seemed to consider her words and gave the slightest of nods. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth Bulma gestured to the sofa.   
”Listen I didn't know what you might want to watch so I grabbed a few, but I think you might like some of these.”

~

He didn't know what was propelling him towards the sofa, he certainly had no interest in the movies she was chattering on about. The food did smell good, but this didn't feel like something he ever would have done before. He noticed she was wearing loose shorts and a t-shirt, not like her usual dressy clothes. Why did he care? So what if her legs were exposed. 

The film was tolerable, some of it actually quite violent and surprising. The crunchy snack in the bucket was better though. 

He could hear the rain pouring outside, tapping against the windows creating an odd sort of ambience and a small part of him reluctantly felt comfortable. That's when her leg slid against his. She was trying to shift position and somehow was much closer to him than before. He froze, unsure of how to react. 

~

Bulma couldn't believe how well it was going and how chill Vegeta was being for a change. She was actually enjoying his company. That's when the thoughts surfaced; what would it feel like to cuddle against him? Just how hard was that bicep? Had he ever been affectionate with anyone before? Come to think of it, would a mercenary in space have time for...intimacy?  
Shhh Bulma, stop thinking!   
She squinted harder at the screen and scooped some more popcorn into her mouth, but it was too late. Her brilliant brain was switched on and there was no stopping it.  
Casually she shifted her position on the sofa and felt her leg connect with his as planned. No reaction. How far could she take this? Like a teenager on a date, she began to play the age-old game of testing the water.

She picked a slightly jumpy film after the first finished and grabbed the blanket to drape over the two of them.   
”Are you cold or something?” he cocked an eyebrow at her.  
Playfully she smacked his arm (ooh solid) ”Oh come on Vegeta, it's a spooky film! You have to watch with the lights out under a blanket or you don't get the full effect!”  
That's when she clapped her hands and the lights when out. She heard a slight huff but he didn't protest any further.

~

What on Earth was this woman doing? Was this really a regular activity on this planet? He found the whole thing odd and yet didn't seem to be stopping it. In fact, he seemed to be going along with the whole thing. Ten minutes into the garbage film she was pressed up against him and clinging to his arm (which was of course, firmly folded against his chest). He felt goosebumps shiver across his skin at her touch, and a strange sensation flooded his stomach. 

In space, he hadn't paid much mind to the few females in Frieza’s army, none were even close to his species and wouldn't have been suitable for someone of his standing. Planet raids were no good, they were all too busy cowering in fear. His own race wiped out, he wasn't left with many options. Now here he was, on Earth with this woman, who was pressing herself against him and his brain seemed to be turning to mush.

She seemed to be pressing even tighter as the film went on, and without thinking it through he found himself lifting one arm and placing it around her. For a few painful seconds, they both seemed to hold their breath before she finally melted against his torso.

~

Was Vegeta cuddling her now? Or had his arm just gotten uncomfortable? Either way she found herself comfortably pressed against his chest (also solid, he's like a damn statue) and was daring her mind to decide on her next move.  
Something scary must have happened in the film because a character screamed and some eager violinist had reached an unbearable crescendo before a loud bang reverberated through the surround sound. Like a true damsel in distress (hey, a girl can play the cliche when needed right?!) she threw her arm across Vegeta’s stomach and buried her head in his shoulder. The perfect play.

Before she could pretend to recover, a finger firmly guided her chin out of his muscles and towards his thunderous stare. Ok, perhaps this had been a silly game to play with a destroyer of worlds. But she couldn't stop herself from staring into those dark eyes and pressing herself even tighter to him.

~

Kakarot (that wretch) had made a family on this planet, so Earth women must be almost the same genetically. Except for being weak. And those legs. She was wrapped around him like a bandage now. But surely she was terrified of him. Except she wasn't was she. That was what made her so fiery and interesting. And that seafoam hair. What was he thinking, it was too warm in here surely, why were they under this blanket anyway? What should he do, about that slender arm across his stomach?

Suddenly she jumped and buried her face into his shoulder, both legs now across his lap. He reflexively turned her face to his, ready to punish her insolence, except her lips were trembling, and his brain was mush.

~

Where do we go from here, am I walking away with a broken arm, blown to pieces before I can stand, except actually he doesn't really seem that angry at all, and in fact he looks quite handsome in this soft light. 

Maybe I should say something, but oh he’s leaning forward...

Kissing Vegeta was like nothing she could have expected; surprisingly soft but firm. Despite eating all that popcorn, when his tongue found hers he tasted of something new and out of this world. He was like a brewing thunderstorm, charged and heavy with the promise of something more, his kisses becoming slowly more passionate. She tangled her hands into his flame-like hair and was surprised to find it soft and yielding. 

~

More goosebumps, down his spine and between his thighs, sensations he hadn't truly felt before. Her hands were in his hair and he couldn't seem to break the kiss. He had started this without any sort of plan, no strategy, and what to do now? He found his hand trailing slowly down the side of her ribcage, settling on her hip. Her skin was so soft, milky white and devoid of scars, so unlike anything he’d touched before. A master of destruction and devastation, why would he find himself in the arms of someone so pure, (weak. no! that's enough) he had to focus or he’d lose this.

He found himself shifting her so she was lying down, not quite under him but next to him. He started to kiss her neck and collarbone. Was this right? It felt natural? A small sigh escaped her throat, so he continued.

~

God, he was good at this, her whole body was yearning for his touch. She’d had stray thoughts now and then about what a Saiyan might be like. Goku was more like a kid brother to her but damn when he reappeared fully grown at the tournament all those years ago she couldn't help but gawk at him. When Vegeta arrived, all that raw power, perfectly honed muscles, it had awoken a curiosity or hell, a lust, within her.

Now here in the moment, he definitely felt more than human. She gently tugged at his shirt, causing him to look up from her neck questioningly before whipping it off and resuming his advances. He was gorgeous, chiselled yet scarred, clearly having been in countless battles always to be the victor. She ran her hands over the back of his neck and shoulders, then found herself wrapping one leg around him to pull him closer.

She felt her top slide upwards, and sat up to remove it, finding Vegeta in front of her again, their lips crashing together. His arousal now pressed against her hip, she found herself already wanting more. She gently cupped her hand against him, softly pressing and stroking, finally eliciting a soft sound of pleasure from him.

~

He was going to meet his demise because of this woman, he was letting his guard down and acting a fool! He felt his face flush slightly. Why did it feel so good then. Her hands were on him now, they’d crossed some invisible line in his mind and now there was no turning back. He cautiously hooked a finger under her waistband and gently started to pull on her shorts. She lifted her hips without breaking their kiss, and soon they were on the floor with her shirt. She lay before him in a pair of black lace panties, and nothing else. 

Gently, he slipped his hand down the front of her underwear and started to stroke her wetness. It felt like pure hot silk, and for a giddy moment he felt close to orgasm. Regaining a little self control and composure, he focussed on kissing her breasts and listening to her moans as he touched her.

She started to whisper something to him, and he realised she was trying to slide his training pants down. Supposing he was now the most overdressed, he relented and quickly stood up to yank them off. He couldn't help but gaze at the sight before him, she was like nothing he’d ever seen and she was sumptuously slipping off her final garment. 

~

It had been a few months since she last shared her body with someone (Yamcha hmph) and she felt like she could wait no longer. His fingers had felt amazing, for a warrior he had such soft hands. She watched him stand to take his training pants off and took the opportunity to slide down her knickers in the sexiest way she could. He looked transfixed, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction in knowing how much she was driving him crazy. Then his cock bounced free of his pants as he tore them down and she realized she felt just as turned on. 

He was on top of her in seconds, and once he was inside her it felt like all control was lost. He felt like pure sin, hot muscle, unrelenting, she could barely keep up with his pace. Crying out his name, she fisted her hand in his hair. 

~

He could barely hold himself back, this woman was not like him, her power and strength insignificant compared to his, the wrong move and he could snap her leg or crush her ribs. A dangerous game was being played, and the only shred of self-control he could maintain was to not harm her. She felt like an angel, something other than the world of pain he was raised in, soft and hot, crying out for him like he was here to save her. He finally lost himself and collapsed on top of her, breathing heavily unlike any work out would ever make him. He kissed her a final time.   
”I...are you....I haven't hurt you have I?” his eyes finally met hers again, how was it even possible to flush this much in one day??

~

It was incredible and terrifying all at once, he had clearly held himself back so as not to hurt her, but damn she already felt like she was bruising. Yet she wanted more. 

He locked eyes with her, clearly concerned and asking if he’d hurt her. She leaned forward, cupping his face with her hands and kissing him. ”I’m made of tougher stuff than you think Vegeta.”

He paused and seemed to be considering his next words very carefully. ”Was it...was everything...” he trailed off, clearly not wanting to actually ask if she enjoyed it. How odd for a man so confident in his abilities. Wait, unless...surely not?  
”It was great Vegeta. Umm, have you err, how do I put this?” she paused ”Hmmm, well I guess what I mean to say is, was that your first time?” she waited for him to yell at her, even in the afterglow she felt bad asking that question. Instead, he almost cocked his head to one side, clearly not as phased as a human would be.   
”It was. Is that a problem? The Frieza Force wasn't exactly the ideal environment for this sort of thing.” he gestured between the two of them.  
” It's fine, it's not a problem, I just guess I feel sort of flattered you chose me. But hey, the bigger issue here is how much you have to catch up on!” she winked and grabbed his wrist, dragging him towards the stairs before he could protest.


	3. Just a fling right?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things start to get steamy as our unlikely couple find their feet with each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took a little longer for me to pull together, and I’m sorry if the tone is all wrong. I couldn’t help but push it in the smutty direction but I haven’t written anything like this before.   
> I’m having fun with it though so I am going to carry it on for awhile.  
> I hope you enjoy :)

It had been three whole days and Bulma still hadn't managed to speak to Vegeta. For someone so much larger than life he sure was skilled in avoiding people.

Now and then she caught a glimpse of him disappearing through a doorway, and she swore his foot was disappearing out a window on one occasion. Enough was enough.

She waited until he was in the middle of training, and then approached the GR. Knocking politely she offered him 30 seconds to open up; before she remotely shut down the gravity and simply went straight in.

Vegeta stood before her looking characteristically murderous and somehow incredibly sexy. She smiled and then spoke before he had chance.  
”We need to talk, whether you like it or not. It’s highly rude to bed someone and then blank them ya’ know. So unbecoming for a Prince.” She tossed her hair and placed her hands on her hips, standing her ground in front of him.  
He rolled his eyes, arms now folded across his chest. ”What exactly do you want me to say?”  
She slowly stepped towards him, her approach already planned out. ”Vegeta, I had a good time. You seemed to as well. I honestly don't expect anything from you, or for this to be a big deal. But, don't you think it's a shame to let something so good go to waste? I just wanted to propose that this thing we had could be a casual ongoing sort of fling?”  
His eyes narrowed ”Fling?”  
She sighed ”You know, like an affair of sorts! Like, now and then, when we both feel...the need, we just spend the night together. No strings attached, our fun little secret. What do you think?” she practically held her breath and yet tried to look casual about the whole thing.

~

Here she was in front of him again. He hadn't exactly been avoiding her since that night. It was perfectly normal to exit a room via the window, he could fly after all. Yet still he found that once confronted with her he was almost at a loss for words.   
Now she was babbling about a fling, some apparent no strings attached sexual relationship. His stomach felt odd again, probably all that infernal Earth food.  
His mind was still chewing it over when he felt himself nod. Was his entire body now against him? That’s it! He was upping the gravity asap!!  
She flung her arms around his neck dragging him in to a kiss much to his shock.  
”HEY! GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME. I didn't say we’d start now!!”  
She let go but was grinning at him, completely unaffected by his outburst. ”Well you know where to find me, how about my room again tonight!” she winked and sauntered out, leaving him to stand there in bewilderment.

~

Bulma was fussing with the objects in her bedroom. For goodness sake, he might not even turn up, and it wasn’t like he hadn’t seen this mess before. She tapped a mascara tube to her mouth in thought as she tried to decide how she wanted to play this. Should she just leave it as it was, let him get used to her ‘natural habitat’? Or spruce it up, set the mood? 

She swept a silk scarf over a lamp and sashayed across the carpet dramatically, hips bouncing from side to side “Oh well hello there hunk-a-dunk, couldn’t keep away could you?” She fluttered her eyelashes at the mirror and let out a theatrical giggle.   
That’s it, she was going insane.   
She grabbed the scarf and stuffed it into a slightly overflowing sock drawer and settled for shoving all her abandoned clothes into the hamper and spritzing herself with her favourite perfume. 

Why was she so nervous? Things should be easy from here, it wasn’t their first time, or even second, third....fourth? She’d lost count that first night. Saiyan stamina was actually a little alarming. But still, she couldn’t shake her nerves, as if this were a first date.   
She heard a gentle knock at her door and drew in a deep breath.

~

This was it, the moment a warrior acted like a teenage boy and went chasing after a woman instead of training.

He had felt oddly anxious, something he wasn’t familiar with and wasn’t sure how to handle. Practically pacing a groove into his bedroom carpet he finally settled on taking a shower and throwing on a shirt. He took a meditative breath and then marched off to her room. 

When she opened the door he had to admit she looked beautiful, hair hanging in loose curls to her shoulders, a thin cotton kimono tied with a sash, her cleavage just showing. 

He knew he should make some sort of bold alpha male move on her, it’s not like he wasn’t a quick learner so this should be easy, but he found himself stuttering and settling for an uneasy silence.

~

Vegeta looked ... nervous? Embarrassed? At least hesitant. What was going on here? Couldn’t he see how gorgeous she looked? She felt an odd twinge of anxiety tug at her. Perhaps he had changed his mind, and the way she was dressed now certainly did not fit that scenario well, no sir. 

Taking a deep breath, she closed the door behind him and then crossed the room to take a seat on the bed. Smiling warmly at him she gently patted the mattress “Why don’t you sit down and we can talk about this Vegeta?”

“Tch.” He glared at her, then as if to be deliberately obstinate he instead strolled over to her bookshelf and started to peruse the titles, now and then picking up some nick nack to take a further look. “I don’t know what it is you want us to keep talking about exactly? There’s hardly a lot to say.”

~ 

He was stalling, like a gutless coward. He should march over there and kiss her, like he wanted to, deep down. But instead he found himself dragging his thumb across a row of book spines, and thinking of ways to pick a fight with her.

Practically feeling the eye roll from across the room, he turned to face her just as she stood up. “Vegeta either you want whatever this is to happen, which I imagine is why you came to my room in the first place, or you want it to stop and end as a one time thing, which is fine by me. But for crying out loud stop pretending to be interested in thermodynamics or whichever book your currently fondling and tell me which it is” she stamped one of her little feet and glared at him.

There it was, that feisty temper that seemed to draw him to her whenever he wasn’t busy training. Ignoring the burn in his cheeks and his somewhat inherent desire to destroy anyone who dared stand up to him, he marched across the room and grabbed both her wrists, locking them at her sides. 

He fixed her with his best death stare and drew himself up to his full height. Watching her eyes closely for signs of faltering confidence, he was excited to see her instead tilt her chin in defiance and lock eyes with him. She was challenging him, and nothing made his blood boil faster.

~

Confronted with Vegeta in macho saiyan mode wasn’t something Bulma was entirely inexperienced in, however this was the first time he had been in her face and making physical contact. Her skin tingled and she heard the blood rushing in her ears. There was only one way to handle this; like the badass, sexy, ass kicking genius that hadn’t ever let any obstacle get in her way. Their eyes were locked and energy seemed to wash over them. She simply refused to back down. Finally he made his move.

Before a single sound could escape her lips she was pinned against the wall, legs raised around his hips and arms held above her head. A feral smile played on his lips as he softly asked “So, you want to keep playing this little game with me then? You think you can handle everything I have to give?” At that he firmly pressed his hips forwards, letting her know exactly just how he wanted to proceed.

“Well that’s more like it tough guy, I never really believed you’d run away but you sure did take your time.” She quickly leaned forward and nipped his bottom lip, before tracing her tongue lightly across his sharp jawline. 

After that it was a battle of sorts, both wanting to dominate the other, neither backing down. The kimono was ripped in two (“you jackass!!!”), hair was yanked (“watch it woman!”), and clothes were dragged off as if on fire.

~

Tumbling onto the bed in a mess of limbs, lips, and teeth, they continued their odd fight. Vegeta finally let go of his stray thoughts and let himself just feel. Her hands were tangled in his hair, something he’d never once let another being touch. If he stopped and thought about it, had anyone ever touched him outside of battle? Each time she ran her hands over his back, trailed her fingers down his biceps, and traced a path up his inner thighs he felt new sensations. It was like she knew his body already, and was able to toy with him in ways he never imagined.

Two could play at that game. Placing a hand under her lower back he gently lifted her a few inches, causing her head to lean backwards allowing him better access to her throat. Kissing a trail down to her collarbone, he let his other hand slide up the back of her neck and into her hair. 

How could something so lovely be lying underneath him like this? Wait...lovely...his brain was getting mushy again. He distracted himself by bringing his hand out from underneath her and placing it on her smooth stomach. Tracing circles with his fingers he was careful not to apply too much pressure, she was like a delicate piece of fruit that could bruise so easily. Slowly moving down he began to move his fingers between her legs, eliciting a quiet gasp from her parted lips. 

~

Knowing that she was his first made it hard to comprehend how quickly he had learned to make her toes curl with pleasure. Gazing up at him she had a fleeting thought of curiosity; what could he do to her once he was experienced? She felt her cheeks flush and her feet tingle as her orgasm approached and raised her hips forwards into his hand. 

Vegeta was smirking down at her, clearly pleased with himself. Before she had time to half heartedly berate him, he dipped his head and dragged his to tongue between her legs, as if to capture the taste of her pleasure. She shuddered, almost needing a break from the assault, and decided she needed to regain some control. Pushing his shoulders she manoeuvred him backwards until he was kneeling before her.

~

He was in control here, not her. Not this...woman. His eyes almost rolled back with pleasure as she took him in her hot little mouth. He called the shots, this situation was fully his. A small sound managed to escape his lips and he found one hand fisted in the bedsheets and one in her hair. He definitely had her where he wanted her, she was fully at his mercy now. His legs started to tremble slightly and he gave her shoulder an almost polite warning squeeze but she didn’t stop until he was fully spent, smouldering eyes burning up into his. Damn it.

This was not the end. Deftly flipping her onto her front, he gathered the smallest amount of ki into his fingertips, and began to stroke her spine. She practically purred beneath him. He began simultaneously moving his left hand up the inside of her thigh and felt her body shudder. “Mmm, Vegeta-ahh...” he reached her core once again and drank in the sight before him. Arching her hips and burying her face into the pillow, she had never looked so wanton. Hard again he slowly thrust into her and began to build a steady pace. 

~

Dominance no longer mattered, only the waves of pleasure coursing through her body. Eventually, both collapsed in a sweaty heap onto the mattress, out of breath and completely sated. This had been different to the first night. Less rounds, but a bigger knockout. So now what? As neither had immediately fallen asleep this time, that left ....pillow talk? Or perhaps he wouldn’t even stay this time?

Chancing a glance in his direction she saw he had his eyes closed, mouth slightly agape, and a somewhat relaxed (as much as this guy could be) expression on his face. This was probably the most beautiful he had ever looked to her, and for once she decided not to speak. Smiling to herself, she instead flicked out the light using her bedside remote and then shuffled slightly to get under the duvet (hey, it’s not her fault if it ends up covering him too). 

~

For once she wasn’t bombarding him with inane chatter. Instead he found himself under the blanket with her and the lights out. Throwing a fleeting look her way he saw a soft smile playing on her lips, a somewhat contented air about. The most serene he had ever seen her, and in this faint moonlight, perhaps the most bewitching she had ever appeared to him.

A sensation somewhere behind his navel was pulling him to leave, but the bed was quite cosy, and actually sleeping here might just be more convenient for tonight. It wasn’t a desire to be near her. Nope. 

Closing his eyes once again, he succumbed to sleep and for the first time in months was not plagued by dreams of death on Namek.


	4. Normal business resumes?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Distracting thoughts plague both Vegeta and Bulma, food and wine will help though!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to introduce a bit more conversation between these two, because it must happen now and then!

When she awoke the next morning, his side of the bed was empty. Yawning and taking a moment to come to, it slowly occurred to her that she was comfortably tucked in. Perhaps he hadn’t fled, but rather just left early for training? Pfft yeah right, whatever. As if the Prince of all Assholes had thought to make even a small gesture of kindness. 

Stretching and swinging her legs out of the sheets it suddenly hit her how sore she felt. Even the most intense work out had never made her muscles hurt this much, and when she stood in front of her full length mirror she squealed in shock. Black and blue bruises were covering most of her body, making her look like some sort of inky Dalmatian. This could not become a regular occurrence.

After taking a particularly hot shower to try and loosen her limbs up, she picked out a rather stylish yet casual jumpsuit, one that would cover her skin enough to stop someone calling the police when they saw her condition.   
She needed to have words with Vegeta.

~

Balls of ki were rocketing around the gravity room at a speed most humans would not be able to follow. He had been training for a few hours already, following a quick shower and breakfast. When he had woken up he hadn’t felt the same confusion as the first time, but he did have a small internal tiff with himself over his decision to spend the night. Looking down at the sleeping wo...Bulma, he found himself conflicted. He could blast her straight to hell and rid himself of these ridiculous thoughts and urges. Yet he couldn’t deny that he felt something, not fondness, no. Did he like her? Surely that was pushing it a bit far. But she was the most tolerable being on this planet. He leaned over and gently drew the blankets up over her shoulders.

The gravity was at its highest setting, but still wasn’t enough to fully push him. The only difference he felt was perhaps due to the rest he had during the previous night. When he had started his routine he realised he felt more limber than usual. Ok, so maybe sex wasn’t such a bad thing, when it seemed to let out some of the unnecessary tension.   
She wasn’t all bad either, she had offered him refuge (not that he EVER needed anyone’s help), and had created this (substandard) technology for him. Enough. Pushing her from his mind he dropped to the ground and started doing finger push ups.

After a full day of pushing his body almost to breaking point, he finally switched off the gravity settings, completed a final set of stretches and threw a towel around his neck. It was dark outside when he emerged and few lights were on within the compound. As he entered the kitchen he noticed Bulma’s insignificant ki before he laid eyes on her. Appearing from behind the huge open fridge door, she smiled and held up two bottles with a wink.

~

She was getting nothing done lately, all her tinkering and scribbling in her lab was amounting you very little because he just kept rattling around her brain. Sighing, she twirled around on her chair, a pen balanced on her upper lip. What to do, what to do. Hmmm, perhaps it was a phase that she needed to just ride out? She had never been this obsessed with a guy before, usually it wasn’t an issue to switch her mind onto whatever task was at hand. Sometimes, you have to just put the song on repeat to get it out of your head though right? She marvelled at her own brilliance. A few more hours on this and then she would go and confront the issue again.

Finally standing up from her desk and switching off the work lamps, she stretched and ran her fingers through her hair. Exiting the room she looked at her watch and realised it was a little later than she thought. Heading towards the kitchen it became clear no one else was awake anymore, except maybe for one person. She pulled a small touch screen tablet out of her pocket and checked the GR. Yup! He was still at it, although the gravity settings appeared to have been powered down a few minutes earlier. This would be the perfect time to intercept him.

Hurrying towards the kitchen, she ran her fingers through her hair again, and smoothed down her outfit. There were always plenty of delicious items in the fridge, and everyone knows the way to a mans heart is through his stomach. If anything, Saiyans surely had to be even easier to sway with food, just watching Goku growing up had been enough of an example of that.

She didn’t hear him enter the room, but somehow she just knew he was there, as she stepped away from the fridge with two bottles of wine in her hand she turned and beamed at him.

~

“You seem to be constantly in my presence lately woman, am I not to be given a moments peace?” He practically snarled at her, eyeing the bottles with disdain. Folding his arms across his broad naked chest, he tilted his head away from her and closed his eyes, almost as if to disregard her presence entirely. A little reminder of his royal standing would be good for her.

Two small hands wrapped around his wrists and attempted to dislodge his arms, which didn’t budge an inch. A small indignant huff was issued before she started pummelling his bicep and verbally berating him. Inching one eye open he peered at her, feeling instantly amused at her display. How did she manage to affect him in this way?  
“Vegeta, how dare you treat a lady this way! And not just any lady, I am a genius you know!?” She let out a small growl of rage before he finally chuckled and relented, unfolding his arms and casually walking over to the breakfast bar island in the centre of the room (“Hey! Don’t you walk away from me you jerk!”)  
“Will you stop your shrieking if I let you eat with me? Even the Filkswine of planet Whikstadt can’t reach your pitch, and they are universally famous for their racket.” His dark eyes glinted with mirth as he smirked at her, waiting for the verbal spar that would be the perfect end to his day.

~ 

He was baiting her and she knew it, but he really did underestimate her intelligence and had taken his seat without realising he had handed her the victory. Forcing a smile and choosing to move past the Filkswine comment (did the word translate in the way she imagined? Presumably so grrr) she took a seat next to him and poured two large glasses.   
“You know Vegeta, whilst I do enjoy that razor sharp wit of yours, I actually wanted to try and have a humane conversation with you for a change. Surely learning more about this planet whilst you are living on it would help you with training? And who better to teach you everything you need to know?”

She could see him eyeing her suspiciously “Oh? And what exactly would you want in return for such valuable information? Because you see I don’t really care for this mud ball and I have no need for anything it harbours.” He lifted his glass and knocked half of it back before she could barely blink.   
“Well I don’t want anything per se, but I actually do want to get to know you a bit more. You’ve seen so much of the universe compared to me; planets, stars, armies, aliens, foods, god knows else what. Namek was a major pain in the ass but I can’t stop thinking about how much there is out that that I could learn from.” No response. Her eyes drifted to the window, and she gently ran her finger around the rim of her own glass. Sighing, she figured she wasn’t about to make any progress tonight and took a sip of her wine whilst Vegeta sat rigid in silence.

A couple of mini bots appeared with some hot food and the pair began to eat, the air still devoid of any conversation, when finally he spoke again.

~

She hadn’t said anything in particular that should have had an impact on him, and yet memories from the past seemed to flood his mind before he could shut them down. Finding himself momentarily at a loss for words he opted for silence until the food appeared. After much thought he settled on an odd decision; he was going to talk to her. A proper conversation, one with information If she so wanted it, because a small tiny part of him buried right in his core needed to talk to someone. God knows how she elicited these emotions, but exhaustion plus food made it somehow easier to cave in to her whims.

“The Frieza Force wasn’t exactly a working vacation what with the purging and selling of planets, the cryosleep in space pods, and the swill they fed us, I can’t say I was too concerned with tourist attractions or constellations. I suppose I did enjoy finding new foods though.” Pausing to sip his drink he noticed she had her chin resting on her hands and was staring at him with rapt attention. “I once ate something similar to your earth bacon, but much thicker and sweeter. I wish you had that here.”  
“Hmmm, well you know we could try honey glazed gammon steaks? It might not be too far off. Oooh I know, we should try a new recipe each week based on the things you’ve tried on other planets and see how close we can get the taste!”

Before long several bottles of wine were discarded empty on the side and they found themselves chatting animatedly and laughing. Something Vegeta hadn’t ever fully done, always wanting to be seen as a superior to be feared to his fellow Saiyans.

Taking a breath and focusing on her seriously for a moment he found a sudden question escaping his lips; “Why? Why don’t you fear me? Why invite me to live here after I killed those earthlings you seem so fond of?”

~

He seemed so much more relaxed than ever before, even brushing his hand against hers and chuckling like he couldn’t be more comfortable around her. Then the question finally came and she found herself staring into those dark eyes once again, trying to find the best combination of words that wouldn’t break the spell.

“I think... I think I just knew. I knew there was more to you, beneath the surface. You’ve shown so much strength and resolve, endless pride and an amazing mind for strategy and battle. But, that isn’t all you are. How can I be afraid of your potential?”

Before she could engage her limbs she was in his arms in a crushing embrace, his lips met hers and he lifted her off her feet. Moving outside he suddenly rose off the ground, gently taking them upwards above the rooftops. The stars weren’t visible in the city but he took her above the light pollution and away from it all until the sky became an endless vision of beauty. “To be honest, the stars look better from a distance anyway” he smirked “but perhaps one day I’ll take you for a closer look.” They hovered together for awhile staring upwards, until Bulm began to shiver slightly.

Eventually retreating back to the warmth of her bedroom, both found themselves on the brink of sleep and too tired for much else.  
“By the way, do you think you could take it slightly easier on my skin Vegeta? I’m like a bruised peach after last night” she softly giggled, and drew one arm from under the sheets to show off her bruises in the moonlight.  
“Hmph. It doesn’t help you are pathetically weak. Imagine you trying to pick up an ant with your fingers without crushing it.”   
She smacked his shoulder playfully, “I don’t care, I can’t be seen in public like this or everyone will think I’ve been beaten up!” She let out a yawn and drew herself closer to him.

Neither spoke another word, but as she was drifting off she felt an arm wrap around her gently.


	5. Intimacy takes flight.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With all those fancy powers surely Vegeta can find a non violent way to put at least one of them to use. Clouded by confusion and frustration the Prince also realises he needs to make changes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow that took a long time to write. I haven’t had much time recently to spend on this so I’ve been writing a few paragraphs here and there. I hope it doesn’t seem too rushed, but I decided to spend this weekend getting it finished.
> 
> I was going to make this the final chapter, but I think I will leave it open for one or two more for now. I hope you all like it :)

Several long days passed before she found him in her bed again much to her chagrin. Working on his GR bots alongside the other complex projects she wanted to finish was taking up a lot of her time, and despite having her father to help, once her mind was set on an idea she had to see it through herself.

Tweaking her latest blueprint and adding to her extensive notes, she was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn’t hear the soft footsteps behind her. 

“Bulma dear, have you had anything to eat today?” Despite her fathers soft voice she jumped nearly a foot in the air and shrieked in surprise.   
“Jeez dad are you trying to give me a heart attack? I swear I’m going to put a bell on you one of these days.” Stretching her arms and her spine, she gave her father a tired smile.   
“I know I know, but when you’re in the zone like that I don’t think you’d hear a dinosaur approaching,” he chuckled and the little black cat on his shoulder leapt on top of his head, mewing quietly, “I see your designs are coming along nicely but I really do think it’s time you had a snack break, come along now.”

Before she could put up a fight she found herself being shooed out of the dimly lit lab and into the stark white corridor, the door clicking softly closed behind her. Pulling her aqua locks into a loose bun on top of her head, she pushed her pen into the centre of it for safe keeping and stretched one last time before heading towards the kitchen. 

~

The gravity settings were finally adjustable to a level that made his lungs burn and bones tremble, the air inside the chamber actually hazy from the intense pressure. Sweat ran down his temples and back as he punched and kicked faster than most human eyes could follow. He was so much stronger than when he had first set foot on Earth, more determined, more focussed, and yet he still hadn’t unlocked the secret to achieving the power that was his birthright. 

Growling in frustration he punched faster, leaping upwards and sideways and dodging shots from the bots, pummelling the air as if surrounded by a hundred enemies. Not for the first time the thought drifted into his mind, the thought that for some reason he wanted to bury and ignore; a drastic change was required. This wasn’t enough, and time was running out. Then her face was in front of his, illuminated on the large intercom screen. Her bright blue eyes looked directly into his, and she cocked her head with a smile.  
“Hey there big boy, seems like I’m not the only one that’s been working hard around here!” She winked before continuing and he folded his arms with a huff. “I think it’s about time we both got some food, don’tcha think?”

Rolling his eyes and gritting his teeth he tried to respond without raising his voice.   
“Woman, I am in the middle of a session and I am never going to attain my goal if you are constantly interrupting me.” Before he could enter into a full tirade he felt his stomach grumble. “If I join you for a meal will you leave me to my training for in peace tomorrow?” He cocked an eyebrow at her, clearly suggesting she should take the offer and not push her luck.  
“Oh come on Prince grumpy-pants, I know you’re hungry don’t pretend this is such an inconvenience. Dinner will be on the table in twenty minutes, so go freshen up and bring that pert butt of yours to the living room.” The screen blinked into blackness as she cut the transmission. Cursing out loud he felt his stomach grumble again, telling him in no uncertain terms what course of action he needed to take. Wait a minute, what did she just say? Prince ....grumpy-pants? 

As he exited the chamber, he left behind a pile of wires and bolts that used to be several training bots.

~

If she had to stop her work then she would be damned if she had to sit on her own to dinner. Her mother was already tucked up in bed, and she found herself longing for Vegeta’s company already. Stoic and gruff as he may be, she felt like something had shifted in him since they had become intimate. Surely if he could go from destroyer of worlds, mass murderer, and killer of his comrades, to a reluctant saviour, willing to dedicate his time to saving a planet he once vowed to destroy, not to mention passionate lover, he could surely keep growing into a new person. The little silver kitchen bots were laying food out on a large white dining table while Bulma poured out two drinks and lit some candles, determined to get the Prince to relax a little.

Finally he entered the room, freshly showered and dressed in loose joggers and a sweatshirt. She found her thoughts drifting to his gravity defying hair and how it never seemed to lose its shape. What did it look like under a jet of water? Perhaps she could join him for a shower to find out.

“What are you smirking at? I thought you were preparing food?” Vegeta was now directly in front of her, arms folded and stormy faced. 

~

A pile of plates had quickly formed besides Vegeta, having barely spoken a word and focussed on shovelling the food into his mouth ravenously. For some reason he didn’t want to explore he had struggled to look at her for the duration of the meal. Both had eaten in a comfortable enough silence, but a strange feeling had settled over him. The last few days had him feeling oddly domesticated which was an uncomfortable feeling to say the least. At odds with himself, he clenched his fists and repeated his internal mantra; achieve super Saiyan, destroy Kakarot, achieve super Saiyan, destroy Kakarot. He would once again reign supreme over the Saiyans, and this - whatever this was - was just part of the path. Royalty were always entitled to comforts, and she was just that. 

Raising his dark eyes he finally looked at her, across the table from him she was finishing up her last few bites (from her solitary plate), blue hear in a knot on the top of her head, with a few wisps framing her petite ears. Those ocean eyes looked up into his and he felt his stomach squirm. 

He was so sick of the internal conflict he had been dealing with since he first arrived on this planet. Self doubt, confusion, humiliation, desire, affection. All things he felt unfamiliar with. In the Frieza force he knew his standing, power levels determined rank and created structure, and whilst it angered him no end that his royal heritage meant little to some, he had never felt weak in the presence of another Saiyan. Never gave much thought to desire. Never had to flee from a battle. 

A soft warm hand gently wrapped around his clenched fists, and Bulma was quietly speaking in his ear. Had he zoned out there for a moment? A solitary tear slipped down his cheek and he quickly rose from his seat, almost knocking her backwards.

~

She felt her chest constrict with sadness and concern as she watched a darkness descend on his face. He had been quiet whilst eating but that was standard behaviour for him, it was only when she met his eyes and flashed him a smile that she understood he was no longer quite seeing her. Clearly lost in thought a melancholy seemed to radiate from him and despite softly calling his name he didn’t move.

Rising slowly she moved to his side and placed her hand over his. “Vegeta?” She leaned in closer and spoke calmly into his ear. “Vegeta, I’m not sure what’s wrong but I’m here to listen. I know it must be tough being on a strange planet, and so much has changed for you in such a short amount of time. Honestly though I really think it’s all for the better, I know you’ll become a super Saiyan, I believe in you.” She gave his hand a squeeze, and took a deep breath, “I also believe that there is so much good in you that just needs time to come out, you don’t have that monster Frieza hanging over you now, plus ... well, you have me.” 

Finally he turned to look at her, a heavy tear rolling down his face. In a blur of motion she found herself tipping backwards and he was on his feet. Grabbing the table for support she found herself alone in the kitchen, her hair fluttering from the force of his quick escape. 

Something in her gut told her that he hadn’t gone far though, and she decided that despite his efforts to be alone it would be best to follow him. Acting purely on instinct she moved quietly through the house, up the stairs and along the dark corridor towards Vegeta’s bedroom. The door was closed as usual but wasn’t locked, and opened with a soft click. 

She rarely entered this room, preferring to allow the proud Saiyan his privacy. Inside she found the room to be tidy, minimalist, with barely any trace that it was occupied. In comparison to her messy room it was like a showroom. The thin white drapes fluttered inwards indicating the balcony doors were open, and silhouetted in the moonlight she saw him sat on the railing.

~

He was losing his touch, creating such a scene in front of her like that. He needed an outlet, a new way to train, something to help break through this damnable wall he’d hit. He was usually in full control of his thoughts, calculating perfect strategies, verbally sparring with his opponents to lead situations in his desired direction. This was a mess, his head felt like a mess.

Finding himself on the balcony railing outside his room, the night air helped calm him slightly. Gazing soulfully upward he noticed the pale moon was full, and his stomach twisted once again. 

He sensed her weak ki before she even entered his room, following her as she slowly traced his footsteps and finally appeared at his side. He grunted softly and almost in reflex took a jab, “You’re like a lost puppy, how hard do I have to kick you before you stop following me?” Following him, after everything that he’d done, yes she was still following him. He turned to look into her eyes and couldn’t stop the apology from appearing on his face.

She didn’t say a word but instead remained by his side and gazed upwards with him. He made his decision, but it could wait until tomorrow.

He fluidly swung his legs back onto the balcony and wrapped his arms around Bulma, giving her a soft smile and then gently lifting them both into the air. 

“I’m not sure I’m dressed appropriately for this again Vegeta.” Looking slightly anxious Bulma began to look back towards the shrinking compound below them, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.

“I wasn’t planning on us needing clothes to be honest” he smiled and manipulated his ki so that it enveloped both of them “in fact they are only going to get in the way!”

Bringing his lips to hers, he slowly began to peel off her clothing, letting it drift in colourful swirls to the ground below. Relishing the gasps he was already eliciting from her, he reclined his body slightly and lifted her legs around his waist.

~

His energy was so warm it felt like she had been submerged in a warm bath, which was incredible to her ever buzzing brain that was trying to calculate what the actual temperature should feel like at this height. But then his hands were on her, clothes were shed, and finally her busy thoughts crumbled away and she allowed sensation to take over. It didn’t even occur to her that he might drop her, she trusted him with her life.

As he moved her legs around his waist he gently entered her, and it were as if their bodies melded into one. Slowly rocking his hips against hers he pressed his forehead to hers and closed his eyes, exhaling gently. 

Slowly moving her hands across the back of his neck and upwards into his hair she began to caress his scalp and ears, kissing a soft line up his jaw. They had explored each other in many ways recently but this felt the most intimate. His ki itself seemed to support her making her feel weightless and exhilarated, her first orgasm building more quickly than usual. 

Quickening his pace he placed his hand beneath her and gripped her soft buttocks firmly. Pulling away from his neck she looked at his face to catch an expression of pure desire; mouth slightly agape and eyes squeezed shut. She nipped at his lower lip and clawed his shoulder blades, watching his eyebrows knit together as he tried to hold himself back. 

~

He didn’t plan any of this and couldn’t recall what led him to initiate a mid air exchange like this but god it felt good. Her teeth scraped his neck as she orgasmed and he struggled not to come with her. Trying breathe and focus his mind he gripped on to her, determined not to end it too quickly. 

She began biting his lip and razing his skin with her nails, grinding her hips into his and squeezing his cock with each of his thrusts. With a low cry he finally came hard before wrapping his arms around her once again and resting his chin on her shoulder. 

“You know I never really had you pegged as an exhibitionist?” He actually felt her smile into his neck, before one of her hands snaked back up into his hair to softly play with the shorter locks in the back of his neck.

Indulging in a rare smile he slowly started to lower them back down, keeping a subconscious check for any ki signatures that might spot them. “I’d hardly describe that as exhibitionism. If I’d thought anyone was approaching I’d have stopped, and the few people that could reach us up there would be easy to sense.”

She was chuckling at him now, cupping his jaw with one hand and tracing the outline of his bottom lip with her thumb. “Still I can’t say I’ve ever done that out in the open before. You just keep surprising me don’t you. I’m still feeling pretty lively though...”

Rolling his eyes he set down on the dark balcony and quickly moved through into his bedroom. Normally this was a space he preferred to keep to himself but lately each time he tried to sleep in there he felt restless and missed her scent.

~

Early the next morning Dr.Briefs was already tinkering away with his latest invention, a crumpled looking cigarette hanging lopsidedly out of his mouth and the ever present tiny black cat perched on his shoulder. Recently he found himself more inspired than usual and was struggling to get all his ideas created as he thought them up. A small black jotter pad was tucked into his lab coat which he reached for to add yet more cryptic notes.

The door to his lab slid open quietly and Vegeta approached his workstation. “Ah my boy how is training coming along? Not looking for more upgrades already are you?”

The stern prince folded his arms and shook his head. “No not upgrades, what I need is a space ship. I don’t need to go too far but I’ll need a decent fuel supply and an onboard gravity adjustment function.”

Raising his eyebrows solemnly Dr.Briefs scratched his head in through. “I take it you mean to return then? I guess I could have that up and running in oh I don’t know, say a week?”

“One week then.”

Vegeta turned on his heel and exited the room.


	6. A brief excursion.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vegeta tells Bulma about his upcoming trip, and Bulma has something new to think over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all, it’s been awhile :) weirdly I’ve found writing really hard in lockdown. I’m at my desk at home working during the day, and have started playing The Witcher for the first time, plus we had Final Fantasy 7 Remake so finding time to do this hasn’t been top of my list.   
> I don’t want to neglect either of the stories I’ve started though, now I’ve put effort into them, so although it’s short, here is the next chapter. I hope you like it!

She felt the slight shift in mood which was pretty impressive considering his range of emotions fell mostly within anger, irritability, moodiness, and aloofness. She could practically write a book on him at this point, a users manual even, perhaps she should (and what to call it? ‘How to declaw your Saiyan’?). Giggling to herself, Bulma rose from the breakfast table and grabbed Vegeta’s discarded dishes. 

This morning he had barely spoken to her while he shovelled food into his mouth, no news there. But something was definitely off with him. (‘How to maintain a Saiyan household’?)

That was not the only issue on her mind this morning though. She felt off too, but she couldn’t pinpoint what it was. She tipped her own barely touched food into one of the pet bowls on the floor and headed towards the pool. Today she needed some r&r for sure. 

~

He answered to no one, a Prince only ever answered to his King and since King Vegeta was dead that left him with no one to concern himself with. And yet.

Pushing himself even harder Vegeta attempted to focus all his attention on his energy, his movements, his technique. His speed had increased, he felt stronger, he just needed to work harder. But he felt obligated to tell her, and the thought nagged at the back of his skull.

She was a distraction, nothing more (right?). His solution was the only viable way to continue his training, but telling her seemed to have an unexpected element of challenge to it.

Irritating himself to distraction, he finally decided to confront the issue and get it out the way with. 

~

She was relaxing in a lime green bikini on one of the recliners, a discarded book next to a pitcher of ice cold lemonade next to her, almost dozing off when a shadow fell over her.

Opening one eye she squinted up at the flame-haired silhouette before sitting up slightly in curiosity.

“Coming to join me for once Vegeta? It’s about time you gave yourself a break and relaxed a little actually.” She smiled warmly at him and patted the recliner next to her.

Trying to blanket her surprise as he actually took a seat next to her, she turned to grab her drink and pour one for him from the pitcher.

“I need to speak with you. I feel as though you ought to know.”

Sensing the tone she sat up and faced him properly, holding her breath. She knew it, this had to happen at some point. He was going to break off their ....arrangement. Whilst she had prepared herself for this, she couldn’t stop her hand from clutching her stomach to try and comfort the sudden twinge of sadness.

“This situation between us, it holds no obligations and has little meaning. However, I want you to know that I have spoken with your father, and asked him to build me a ship.”

“A....ship? You’re leaving?”

“I will return to defeat the androids, I am no coward. But I have reached a wall. I need a new environment to achieve my goal.”

A small sigh of relief escaped her lips. So it wasn’t over, just on hold. 

~

Vegeta studied her face, waiting for a reaction. He had never felt the need to explain himself to ...a lower being like her. A strong part of him wanted to stand and leave, the news was delivered, he had nothing left to say.

She sighed, in relief? What had she been expecting from him? 

“Thank you for telling me Vegeta, I’m glad you didn’t just leave. If you need help with your preparations let me know, and hopefully we can... ya know? Enjoy each other before you go? How long will you be keeping me waiting after all?”

God damn it.

Before his body could begin to betray him, he stood and nodded curtly before marching back to the gravity chamber.

He hadn’t expected a specific reaction, but she was prone to outbursts and became pretty feisty at the drop of a hat. Everything had gone smoothly, and settling back into training was easier with the prospect of fully stocked ship in six days.

~

Crap. Absolute bollocking titbag crap. Two tests sat on the edge of the sink. Two tests, both with two visible lines. Pregnant.

Trust that stupid Saiyan to have super strength sperm. She growled and huffed in frustration and confusion. She had never missed a pill, never been sick, and never had this happen before. (‘How to get knocked up by a Saiyan’?)

Her mind was racing. Vegeta. Prince Vegeta. Bringer of destruction. Destroyer of worlds. Murderous alien. Father.

Did she want a baby? (Her heart ached, yes!) Let’s rephrase shall we? Did she want a baby with him? She pictured him holding a tiny baby Vegeta at arms length, bawling in his hands, as he tried to order him into behaving. Pictured him trying to get the child to punch all the other children. She giggled. Pictured him hugging a sleepy toddler. Except nothing fit. 

Would he want a baby? With her? With anyone? How would he react when she told him?

Oh GOD. She had to tell him.

Taking a deep breath, Bulma ran the tap, splashed her face with cold water, then looked directly in the mirror. After he returned. It had to be after he returned from space. He needed to achieve that super Saiyan transformation like Goku if they were to stand a real chance of defeating these androids. If he had any more distractions he was unlikely to do it. Might even get angry? Leave the planet for good....blow the planet up? 

Her mind was made up. For now, this was her little secret. “No obligations....little meaning. What kind of timing is this?”


	7. Before you leave.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brief moments before the ship is ready to leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m trying to have less screen time at the moment, so these updates might continue to be slow for awhile. I’m still plugging away at it though.

The week passed quickly, with both Bulma and Vegeta lost in thought (and training) during the days, and lost in each other during the nights.

She managed to keep her composure around him, and chose to focus on the quality time they had together before everything changed. There had never been a plan, just live life until the androids arrive, then play it by ear. But now she found herself wondering if Vegeta would stay on earth for the sake of his child. Would he stay with her? Would she even want that? There was no point questioning it. Time would tell.

Three days before the ship was due to be ready she found herself starting her day with a heavy arm draped over her waist. Slowly blinking her eyes open she saw it was 5am, around the time Vegeta usually rose to train, and way before her own usual wake up time. It was odd that he hadn’t shifted yet, and from the slow breathing he sounded like he was still in a deep sleep. Carefully rolling over, she lay her face on the pillow opposite his to watch him, immediately amazed by his peaceful expression.

Slowly she reached her hand towards his cheek, wanting to trace his cheekbones and jawline with her fingertips.  
“I’m amazed you’re awake so early,”  
She froze her hand in place, an inch from his skin. “Do you need to stare at me while I’m sleeping?”

Giggling softly she placed her palm on his cheek to cup his face. “You know I never usually get to wake up before you, it’s actually kinda late for you.”

Finally opening his eyes he lifted his head to view the bedside clock and uttered something resembling a curse under his breath along with the words ‘distraction’ and ‘woman’ before swinging his legs out the covers and heading for the bathroom. His sleep ruffled hair quickly sprang back into shape as he walked.

10 minutes later he was dressed and about to leave the room. “Vegeta?” She smiled at him coyly as he stopped and inclined his head towards her, “You’re super cute when you’re asleep!” She blew a kiss and winked at his back which rapidly disappeared out the doorway.

~

Waiting for the ship to be ready for his departure was an odd experience. Usually he had no problem passing time, more then capable of occupying himself with training and meditation, but this felt different. This had to work didn’t it? A new planet where he could really let loose, do as he pleased... destroy things. His mind was picking at him; ‘because you can’t do as you please here’ he growled and punched at a nearby bot (yes I can, a Prince can do as he pleases!). ‘You can’t kill, can’t conquer, can’t destroy, can’t be a Saiyan’. Feeling his anger rise he pushed himself harder. (A Saiyan Prince does as he pleases! A Saiyan Prince kills and conquers whoever he pleases!)....’not if she is around.’

He let off an energy blast that took out the remaining bots and a few of the wall panels. Breathing hard he looked down at his hands, and slowly grinned (actually, I conquered her.)

~

The day had arrived and before she knew it Vegeta was packing supplies into a completed ship. Not quite knowing how to handle the situation, she settled on packing a duffle bag with spare armour, toiletries, and snacks. He had plenty of food and water, a reserve fuel tank, and a comms system, but she decided some spare supplies couldn’t hurt. Pausing over her neat packing she was struck with a sudden thought. Grinning to herself she darted over to her book shelf and pulled an album down. Flicking through she found what she was looking for, and retrieved a particularly flattering photograph of herself. Carefully she slipped it under the clothes and into the very bottom of the bag - he was going to get lonely in space after all!

~

Tapping his finger against his bicep impatiently, Vegeta cast an eye over to the clock in the control panel again. She had insisted he wait before launching into space, and he was getting fed up. What if this were some nonsensical soppy goodbye? She was prone to emotional outbursts, and earthlings seemed to have pretty odd customs. He cringed inwardly. 

Finally he sensed her approaching ki. As she entered the ship he immediately noticed how red in the face and out of breath she was, and slung over her slender frame was a large black duffel bag with a Capsule Corp. logo stitched on the side. 

“You took your time, you do realise I’ve been waiting to leave?”

“Don’t be such a grump, I’ve been packing some extras for you - you’re welcome! - and it was super heavy to lug this huge bag out here for you. Besides I was only ten minutes.” She pouted and stuck her fists on her hips. This was definitely the best solution, that feisty temper was just too alluring.

“Whatever, so I can leave without further delay I take it? There’s hardly any time left before the androids arrive.”

“Just...I don’t know. Don’t get yourself stranded or something. I’d like to see you before you have to fight them. Will you promise me that?”

“Tch. I’m not an imbecile, I know how to traverse space.” He paused and looked into her face properly. Her eyes told him this was important to her. “I will come back here to finish my preparations. Does that satisfy you?”

Bulma stepped forward and locked eyes with him, before cupping his face into a deep kiss. She smelled fresh and wild, like sea spray, and for the briefest of moments he ached at the touch of her soft hands. And then she was gone, standing back from him she simply nodded once and then left the ship.


End file.
